First EEE clinic in Vermont held in Brandon

VT Department of Health to study virus

Tuesday marked the first of three Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) clinics hosted by the Vermont Department of Health. The virus claimed two lives in Vermont and, through these clinics, the state is taking a closer look at the effect it has on communities.

The clinic took place at Brandon's senior center. Letters explaining the trial were sent to Brandon, Sudbury and Whiting residents, and Tuesday was their first chance to volunteer for the study.

With their consent, participants answered questions about their behavior last summer-- like if they wore bug spray, or what types of activites they did outside.

Volunteers were then tested for EEE. The purpose of the clinic was to see if there is a correlation between behavior and whether or not volunteers test positive for the virus.

The three towns chosen are where the most EEE infections were last summer.

"It would seem to indicate that there's a potential problem here with EEE, so we hope to get a better idea of what's going on through studies like this," said Matthew Thomas, an epidemiologist at the Department of Health.

The next clinics will be in Sudbury on May 14, and in Whiting on May 29. Both will be held at their respective town halls. Any volunteer from the three towns can participate at any of the different locations.

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